The county government has incorporated into an online map all of the zoning codes for every parcel in all 24 units of government in the county. The map links to specific zoning language for each municipality, if it is available, on that municipality’s website.

"It will provide an understanding of the county and zoning countywide, not just township, village or city," Lotta Jarnefelt, director of the Department of Planning & Community Development, told the Kalamazoo County Board of Commissioners Tuesday night.

Previously, zoning information was available from each municipality but there was no one map that had zoning information for the entire county. The county does not set zoning ordinances.

The county’s GIS website also includes other layers, including school districts, voting precincts and county board districts, as well aerial photography.

“We hope that this will be a useful tool not just for internal use here in the county but especially for economic development," said Jason Enos, GIS coordinator for the county. "Southwest Michigan First has been interested in having this kind of service available.”

Enos said he does not know of other counties that have a similar zoning map.

“It will be good for Michigan if other counties can do this as well,” said Commissioner Jack Urban, D-Kalamazoo.